


Sword and Shield

by SinfulLuca



Category: Xenoblade Chronicles 2 (Video Game)
Genre: Angst, Fluff, Gen, M/M, Suicidal Thoughts, Torna: The Golden Country DLC
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-30
Updated: 2018-09-30
Packaged: 2019-07-20 20:57:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 782
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16145357
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SinfulLuca/pseuds/SinfulLuca
Summary: Is the night before they leave to meet Malos at Torna’s core.





	Sword and Shield

**Author's Note:**

> I knew what was coming, but it still hurt. My children *sobs*

Addam turns around when he hears someone laugh behind him.

“Isn’t it a little late to stargaze?” Hugo asks from the ladder that leads to the watchtower.

Addam smiles back at him. “Look who’s talking.”

Hugo climbs up and sits down next to Addam with the grace expected from the Ardanian Emperor. He stops for a moment, thinking, before resting his head against Addam’s arm and closes his eyes.

They stay in silence for a while, staring at the World Tree in the distance.

“I couldn’t sleep.” Addam whispers after a moment.

“Understandable, seeing our plans for tomorrow…”

Addam takes a deep breath, but stays quiet.

“Are you scared?” Hugo asks him.

Addam thinks for a moment. “...Yes. I… I have a bad feeling about this.”

Hugo rests his hand on top of Addam’s, the tornan prince looks at him, surprised. “I understand.” Hugo raises his head and smiles, looking directly at Addam’s golden eyes. “but we have trained since then, there’s no way we can’t stop Malos.” 

Hugo smiles, but instead of returning the smile, as usual, Addam adverts his gaze, almost scared. “I… I was thinking… maybe…. Mythra and I... should go alone.”

Hugo’s eyes go wide in surprise, a frown in his face. “What are you saying?”

Addam bites his lip, still refusing to look at Hugo, the World Tree a better sight that the fury in his friend’s face. “Is… is going to be dangerous. Last time he was just playing with us, I don’t want to imagine what would happen if he used his full power-”

“Exactly!” Hugo startles Addam, his tone reminding him with whom he was truly talking with. “All 9 of us could barely hold him, what makes you think you can defeat him by yourself?”

“Is too dangerous! You have seen what Malos can do. The one who has the highest chances of defeating him is Mythra.”

“Addam, please. There’s no reason for us to not come with you, Mythra or not, you can’t deal with him alone.”

“But what if-”

“Addam!”

“I don’t want to lose you!” Addam immediately bites his lip as he notices what he has said.

Addam feels Hugo’s hand left his own, he turns around, curious, and finds a wide eyed Hugo, a furious blush taking over his face.

Hugo tries to reply to Addam’s confession, but no word comes out from his mouth.

Addam lets out a nervous laugh,his face heating up. “Maybe I was a little too honest...”

A smile appears in Hugo’s face, his cheeks still burning. “Addam.” He almost whispers “I’m also scare - no, terrified of a life without you.”

If Addam’s face wasn’t burning before, he was now.

“But I know well the strength that we hold. We have traveled far and wide, fought against terrible monsters and ever worse people, we have even survived Mythra’s cooking.” Addam can’t help but laugh out loud at this. “There’s no way for him to stop us, not with your or Lora’s strength”

Addam smiles, looking more like himself. “Don’t sell yourself short, my dear friend, I have no idea where we would be without you… where I would be without you.”

Hugo takes Addam’s face on his hands, shyness seeping from him. “Then.... Let me be the shield of your sword, let me help.”

Addam snorts, happiness blooming in his heart. He surprises Hugo by hugging his waist before closing the distance between them.

Hugo smiles into the kiss and Addam knows, that from now on, there’s no reason to be scared.

* * *

Addam wishes that he could be the one within the ship. Drowning towards blissful sleep.

He feels the heavy weight in his heart bringing him down, towards the endless depths of the sea. Blissful blissful sleep

Addam bites his tongue till he taste blood. How could he think of... such a thing when his friends had all... 

He grabs his hair and pulls. What would Lora think? And Milton, what example was this?!

And Hugo, how could he ever see him to the eyes again by even thinking of given up the life that he had died to protect?! He still remembered the feeling of his body on his arms as the life escaped from it. The sad smile and unseeing eyes that still appeared when he closes his eyes. The hoarse voice that left Addam with Hugo’s last words.

_Are you hurt?_

A violent sob escapes him, the strength in his legs finally leaving him. He falls to the floor, his dirty armor the only thing protecting him from breaking his knees.

Is hours later that Azurda finds him, in the floor, crying, a husk of the man he once was.


End file.
